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Thursday, November 17, 2011

Ginger and Cardamom Cookies - Big, Soft and Chewy

My dad is a huge fan of Ginger Cookies, so I decided I will surprise him with these Ginger and Cardamom Cookies at Thanksgiving. Plus I needed an excuse to try a few new varieties before the Christmas Cookie rush starts. I wanted another flavor element in the cookies, so I decided to use cardamom. Last week a group of us had a good-bye lunch at Wayfare Tavern for Joanna before she flew back to Malaysia, sniff, sniff, and our favorite dessert ended up being a Pear Tart with Cardamom Ice Cream, it's been on my mind ever since.

I hope to recreate the tart for you soon, I'm sure you will fall in love with it too. I usually stick with the classics for Thanksgiving, with a few new items thrown in; I'm hoping these cookies will be well received.

Ginger and Cardamom Cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, loosely packed

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

2 ounces crystallized ginger, finely chopped

1/2 cup granulated sugar + 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or use silpats.

Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, 1/2 teaspoon cardamom, ground ginger and salt into a large bowl. Set aside. I ended up using ground cardamom because that was all I could find out here in the boonies where I live, but if you can find the pods that would be even better; you can then grind them yourself.

In a large bowl add the brown sugar and oil and mix till combined. Add the eggs and mix till combined. Add the flour mixture and mix until combined. Add the crystallized ginger and mix until combined. The mixture will seem a bit dry, but it will hold together nicely.

In a small bowl combine the granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cardamom. Set aside.

Scoop the dough into large tablespoon sized balls and flatten out the balls a bit with your hands, then roll in the sugar mixture. Place the cookies on a baking sheet 3-inches apart. Bake for 13 -15 minutes. Let cool on the pans. Don't wait for the cookies to be completely set when you pull them out and they will remain chewier.

I got a little carried away and made really large ones so I only got 12 cookies, but you could probably get a few more if you make them a little smaller.

I have Pumpkin Pie with Fresh Whipped Cream, Pear Tart with Dulce De Leche and Cardamom Ice Cream, Dark Chocolate Cream Pie with Chocolate Pearls and these cookies on the dessert menu; do you think I should add another item? One more item couldn't hurt, could it?

59 comments:

Ginger cookies are my FAVORITE! Cardamom is my new fascination, which I wish I had discovered much sooner in life. These would make a good ice cream sandwich and a perfect excuse to have them two at a time! (Santa, please bring me bigger jeans for Christmas! Thanks!)

I've long wanted to try cardamom in a sweet treat (including ice cream) but haven't done it. I love ginger cookies, too, so I am very sure I would like these a lot! Gina, the cookies look so perfect...just like your macarons.

I seriously love cardamom and of course I like ginger too. So these cookies look REALLY good to me!! By the way... I love your owl plate! My son is into owl after learning about it for a week in school. He'll love this plate. haha.

I think I want to come to your house for Thanksgiving! Hyperventilating right now at the thought of all those scrumptios desserts. I'll make my pumpkin and my apple, but you are the Queen with the chocolate ...ooh and the Pear tart with my favorite dulce de leche! And your cookies...I know they will go over really well. What time do we eat?! ;) xoxo

Gina-your cookies with the ginger and cardamom, are seriously droolworthy, yummy, and gorgeous. The photos are stunning, as well!Love the crinkle pattern in the cookies, and the pastel colored tea towel, oh, and the milk in the original milk jar, with the straw!You think of every itty-bitty detail...splendid, my dear, just like you:DDD

Gina, I think we must be linked telepathically with all the cardamom making an appearance in our posts this week! Although I didn't really have much choice as it was the assigned recipe for French Fridays :).

As for desserts on Thanksgiving, I don't think you have nearly enough....I mean, you ARE having 300 people over, yes? LOL, you overachiever, you really should add 10 more desserts to your buffet and forego the savory stuff. Hehe.

These cookies are wonderful, and oh how I love both ginger and cardamom...beautiful treats with lovely fall flavors! I think with your list you have aced it in the desserts section :)Hugs, and wishing you a fantastic weekend

Oh, I adore ginger cookies...and the addition of cardamom takes these to a whole other level of deliciousness! Wishing you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving, too...I'm grateful to have such wonderful foodie friends like you! xo

hi gina! cant believ it's now been a week that i've been back. i really love chewy cookies. can't wait to try out this recipe. i have not really bake using cardamoms before. am missing our fun time. hugs jo

These are a glorious creation. They would disappear in minutes from my kitchen. I love to visit here. I never leave empty handed and always consider time here well spent. I hope you have a great day. Blessings...Mary

I have now made these twice (once with ice cream as a T-Day dessert, and again for Xmas eve snacks), and they are AMAZING!!! House smells amazing to boot. They are such a big hit. I will be making them for years to come. THANKS!

Note to anyone making these: lightly flour your hands as you roll these into balls. These have some messy prep, but MAN are they worth it!

Glad you like them Sara, I have made them a couple of times too, I will try your flouring the hands trick next time for less mess. I used a glass to flatten them the first time, that works too, but them you have an extra glass to wash. Either way worked good though.

I made these cookies last night and I used applesauce instead of vegetable oil - BIG mistake, I think. They taste great, but they have this bizarrely tough texture, like eating beef jerky. Today they are even chewier. Next time will definitely use oil, have learnt my lesson. :/

I've been meaning to make these for awhile. And Oh MY GAWD- these are so delicious! I chopped some Trader Joes chocolate covered crystallized ginger vs just regular ginger. And I only baked them for 10 mins, then let sit in the pan for 3 mins. The house smells amazing, my hands from rolling the dough in the sugar and cardamom smell AMAZING, the cookie taste is AMAZING. Terrific recipe, thank you SO much !!!